Solar Experiment

[SycloneDriver]

I decided to experiment with a bunch of stuff that I had laying around. I borrowed the inverter from my brother, he bought it years ago and never used it. I removed the panels and charge controller from my RV before I sold it. The batteries are 5 year old take-outs from generator installations that I maintain. The only thing that I purchased recently was the lumber and the screws (and the beer in the fridge that is running on the inverter).

I ran into a little problem a few minuets after hooking up the panels. You can see the 15 amp fuse that blew, forgot that was in there. It is now fused at 25 amps. That cable is too small, but it's what I had laying around. I'll upgrade it later.

I've got some treated 4" x 4" lumber that I can mount the panels with and some larger cable to connect the panels with but for today I'm happy it. I'll put some plywood up in the garage and mount the controller and the inverter to it. I'll move the batteries into the garage and add more batteries.

Note, two of the batteries are not connected yet. I've got some large cables in the scrap bin for them. I'm thinking about cutting the SAE posts off of the large batteries, the group 31s, has anyone ever done that? I would prefer to parallel them with buss bars not cables. I've got access to a lot of group 31s but they are not as easy to parallel as the 34s are with buss bars.

Cold beer almost for free!

Hope someone enjoys this post.

 

[SycloneDriver]

And hot soup. This gives me an idea, solar powered outdoor kitchen. Probably should include an ATS.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Nice project with leftover equipment!

 

[SycloneDriver]

Nice project with leftover equipment!

Even the hotplate was leftover from 2 boats ago.

 

[WayneH]

Cool project. I know you just kinda threw this together with leftovers but the one comment I would make is to move either the positive or negative cable to the opposite end of the batteries.

Solar Ray: WireDiagrams

www.solarray.com

But if you're not concerned about the throwaway batteries, just leave it alone.

 

[SycloneDriver]

Cool project. I know you just kinda threw this together with leftovers but the one comment I would make is to move either the positive or negative cable to the opposite end of the batteries.

Solar Ray: WireDiagrams

www.solarray.com

But if you're not concerned about the throwaway batteries, just leave it alone.

You are correct of course.
My plan is to move it to the middle of the string, eventually. In the next few months I'll have 7 more group 31 batteries. Connecting it in the middle will greatly reduce the cable length.

 

[SycloneDriver]

I was doing a little math, that hurt, looking for ways to increase the solar output. The math says the 12? gauge cables to the panels are OK as well as the 10 guage cables between the controller and the batteries. I was touching the connection to look for hot-spots and found one, the short 12 gauge link the has the fuse in it is very warm. I'll have to find something better. The average peak recharge current is right at 20 amps and the highest I've seen is 21.5